Don't be deceived ­

some won't make it

Whoever puts his faith in the son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him (Jn 3:36 N.I.V)

God's wrath hangs over all of us, for "all have sinned" (Ro 3:23) and "the wages of sin is death" (Ro 6:23). Jesus came on a rescue mission, to rescue us from a certain doom. This is the plain teaching of Scripture.

Yet no more truth is more vehemently contradicted in our time. Today the ancient heresy of universalism, which has its origin in Origen (185-254 AD), reigns supreme in all our denominations. The modern gods of "tolerance" and "love" demand that this should be so; and that all reference to hell should be expunged from Christian writing, teaching and preaching.

Nels Ferre, in Evil and the Christian Faith, writes: "God could not be God, nor heaven be heaven, if one of God's creatures were excluded from his presence."

Emil Brunner, in Eternal Hope, writes: "The doctrine of forgiving grace . . . finds its crown in a proclamation of universal redemption."

Ethelbert Stauffer, in New Testament Theology writes: "God's irresistible grace and will is destined to overcome the most obdurate opposition . . . None is to remain outside."

Universalists, those who believe that all are ultimately saved, quote Jn 12:32; Acts 3:21; Rom 5:18; Eph 1:10; 1 Cor 15:22-28; Phil 2:9-11; 1 Tim 2:4; 2 Pet 3:9; 2 Cor 5:19; Col 1:20; Titus 2:11; Heb 2:9; 1 Jn 2:2.

But when we study these verses in context, and compare Scripture with Scripture, we find that the Bible does not support universalism. Others hold to the annihilation of the wicked, sometimes called "conditional immortality." But this belief denies the immortality of the soul, which is clearly taught in Scripture. "With whomsoever God speaks, whether in wrath or grace, the one addressed is immortal," said Martin Luther.

Teaching on hell

In the Old Testament there is only one word for "hell," the Hebrew word "Sheol," which is used 65 times, and which means the abode of the dead. The equivalent Greek world is "Hades," which is used as the equivalent of death (1 Cor 15:55), but which can also refer to a place of suffering (Lk 16:23).

In the New Testament, three words are translated "hell" in the AV, "Hades," "Tartarus" and "Gehenna," "Tartarus" is used once only in 2 Pet 2:4, and refers to fallen angels. "Gehenna" is used 10 times by Christ, and it is this word that gives us our Christian understanding of hell (Mt 5:22,29; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mk 9:43, 45, 47; Lk 12:5).

Symbol

"Gehenna" was the "Valley of Hinnom, outside Jerusalem, where children had been sacrificed to Moloch" (2 Chron 28:3; 33:6) and where, in New Testament times, the refuse of the city was constantly burning. It was an appropriate symbol of eternal punishment.

Without question, Jesus, who was love incarnate, taught the awesome truth that for each of us there is "a heaven to gain, and a hell to shun."

In 12 out of 36 parables he spoke of men as being judged, condemned and punished for their sins.

In his "Sermon on the Mount" he spoke of "hellfire" (Mt 5:22), and of being "cast into hell" (Mt 5:30), Hypocritical believers will one day hear his word in judgement: "Depart from me ye that work iniquity (Mt 7:23). Elsewhere he spoke to hell in such terrible terms as "unquenchable fire" (Mk 9:43, "outer darkness" (Mt 8:12), "the undying warm" (Mk 9:44), and "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Mt 8:12). See also Mt 18:8; 25:41; Mt 13:42, 50).

Figurative

Louis Berkhof, in Reformed Dogmatics (p.736) writes: "A great deal of the language concerning heaven and hell must be understood figuratively. But this does not minimise the misery and horror of those who are eternally separated from hope, from Christ, from God."

In his final parable, the parable of the sheep and the goats (Mt 25:31-46) Jesus said, regarding the last judgment: "They will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (v 46).

The meaning of this word "eternal" has been much debated, but most scholars agree that it means for ever! Dr James Barr in Biblical Words for Time writes: "The cases of eternal (Gk aionios) refer fairly uniformly to the being of God, or to plans and realities, which once established by him are perpetual and unchanging," (1 Tim 1:18; Ro 11:36).

W.R. Irge, in What is Hell? "No sound Greek scholar can believe that 'aionos' means anything else than eternal."

In the New Testament it is used 51 times to describe the happiness of the righteous, and seven times to describe the punishment of the wicked. The difficulty is that if we maintain that the word "aionios" does not mean "for ever," then the happiness of the saints in heaven is not forever.

Free to choose

When God created man "in his own image" (Gen 1:26) he created him with the terrible possibility that he would choose to live without Him here and forever, God has no option except to agree with that choice ­ if man is to retain his freedom of will. But such is the perfect love, mercy, and justice of God, that no one is in hell who has not placed himself there, and who ought not to be there.

The way of escape from the wrath of God is clear. It is to put our faith in His Son as Saviour and Lord of life.

"The divine labour to redeem the world cannot be certain of succeeding as regards every individual soul. Some will not be redeemed. There is no doctrine which I would more willingly remove from Christianity than this. But it has the full support of Scripture, and, specially, of our Lord's own words. It has always been held by Christiandom. And it has the support of reason. If a game is played it must be possible to lose," wrote C. S. Lewis in The Problem of Pain (p.106).

Tuesday

LUKE 16:19-31

This story concerning the rich man and Lazarus is told as if it were literally true.

The rich man cried out from hell that he was "tormented in this flame". Certainly Jesus here instructs us to care for "the beggar at our gate" (v20) but nine of the 13 verses refer to the after-life.

Jesus came from the after-life, and here lifts the veil to show us what happens after death.

It is surely inconceivable that He would deceive us regarding such an all-important matter. Any future progress from hell to heaven (ie via purgatory) is ruled out by the words: "Between us and you is a great gulf fixed" (v26).

Wednesday

JOHN 3:14-21

The best known verse in the New Testament, John 3:16, so much loved because it speaks of the amazing extent of God's love also speaks of the judgement of God.

Those who do not believe will "perish".

God is not willing that any should perish (2 Pet 3:9). He knows that the sin in our nature leads us along the broad way that leads to destruction (Mt 7:13).

So he puts all kinds of road-blocks in our path ­ the Bible, preachers, Christian friends, Christian books, our own conscience, and, above all, the outstretched arms of Jesus on the cross.

If we burst through all these roadblocks who is to blame?

Love can never force us to stop, or else it would nullify our free-will. We have the freedom to refuse the love of God, but, if we do, that choice will be fixed forever.

Thursday

ROMANS 2:1-16

What will be the fate in the life to come of those who had no opportunity of trusting in Jesus, such as children dying in infancy, imbeciles, those who lived before Jesus was born, those who never heard or understood the Gospel in their life-time?

Verses 6 and 7 suggest that there are some grounds for holding that men whose way of life was such that they would have accepted Christ if they had had opportunity will be saved at the last "When divine judgement comes it will be absolutely impartial. God will render to every man according to his deeds" (v6).

While, for Paul, forgiveness and eternal life are utterly of God's grace, divine judgment is always passed according to what men have done. Men are held accountable for such knowledge of the truth as was accessible" ­ F. F. Bruce Romans p.88.

See Gen. 18:25; Job 34:11; Prov 24:12; Jer 17:10; Mt 16:27; Acts 10:34; 1 Cor 3:8; 2 Cor 5:10; Rev 2:23; 20:12; 22:12.

Friday

EZEKIEL 33:1-9

God gave Ezekiel the task of being a watchman over Israel, with the solemn duty of warning the wicked man that his way of life was leading him to destruction.

If Ezekiel did not perform this solemn duty, then, said the Lord, "His blood I will require at your hand" (v8).

Would you not agree that one of the main duties of the minister, pastor or priest is to sound the alarm regarding the terrible possibility of our falling into hell? Yet many fail to do so.

When did you last hear a sermon on this most serious of all subjects?

Saturday

ACTS 24:22-27

Tacitus, in his Arrals, tells us that Felix was mean and cruel and profligate.

This knowledge about the Roman governor may have given Paul the headings for his sermon righteousness, self-control and judgment. His points rocketed home, for we read "Felix was terrified" (v25 RV).

Would not our preaching be more used of God for the conversion of sinners if we concentrated on the same strong themes?

Sunday

REVELATIONS 20:11-15

The "great white throne" is the place of final judgement for all flesh.

At this stupendous event two books will be opened. The first book is a record of everything we have done in life. Nothing will be hidden, nothing unknown. (Mt 12:36).

The second book is the Book of Life (ex 32:32; Ps 69:28; 154:3; Phil 4:3; Rev 3:5; 13:8). By trusting in Christ as Saviour and Lord our names are recorded in the Book of Life "never to be blotted out" (Rev 3:5).

But we must be careful to see that the opening of the first book, the record of our lives, does not bring shame upon us.

Monday

1 CORINTHIANS 3:10-15

"The day" means the great day of judgment (Rom 14:10; 2 Cor 5:10; Heb 9:27).

The object of judgment is to test each man's work; how well we have built upon the foundation, Jesus Christ (v11).

Worthless work will be burned, but the builder "himself shall be saved". This area of Scripture suggests that although the Christian is sure of heaven (Rom 5:1) his works will be under divine scrutiny and judgment.

Hence the importance of good works (James 2:14-17).